To implement the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” and support the construction of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong science and technology innovation corridor, the Student Affairs Office of Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI) recently initiated a series of study tours titled “Entering the Greater Bay Area Hand in Hand”. During the tour to Nansha of Guangzhou, 30 students from different programmes visited several innovative technology companies. The tour strengthened students’ knowledge of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area, as well as preferential policies and support in Nansha in relation to the entrepreneurship and employment of young people from Hong Kong and Macao, thus creating a foundation for the future development of students in the Greater Bay Area.

The tour was titled “Exchanging Innovation and Entrepreneurship between Young People from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau - Study Visit to Nansha of the Great Bay Area”, and themed with youth entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and intelligent manufacturing. It was organised by the Guangdong Productivity Promotion Centre, in cooperation with MPI, and with the support of Nansha District government, and aimed to show the potential development opportunities and innovative technologies in the Pearl River Delta region. MPI students were arranged to visit the South China Technology Commercialization Centre; HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute; GD, HK & Macao (International) Youth Entrepreneur Hub; Iflytek South China Artificial Intelligence Research Institute; Guangdong Fundway Technology Co. Ltd.; Guangzhou Herrenknecht Tunnelling Machinery Co. Ltd.; as well as the Mingzhuwan Development and Exhibition Centre.

The students participating in this tour were from doctoral, master’s and undergraduate programmes in the areas of information technology, languages and translation, business management, public management and social services. The diversification of the majors of participating students inspired multifaceted questions and reflections. Ms. He, a PhD student in Computer Applied Technology, said that the Iflytek South China Artificial Intelligence Research Institute and the Guangdong Fundway Technology Co. Ltd, which are dedicated respectively to the research of artificial intelligence, speech technology and intelligent transportation services, are pioneering companies in the field of scientific research on artificial intelligence. The results of their research and the products they develop are highly appreciated by consumers. She added that the visit to Nansha inspired her a lot, and made clearer the main points of her scientific research projects and the direction of the development of her research in the future. As a result of the visit, which aimed at learning more about the innovative environment, support policies, geographical and traffic advantages in Nansha, most students expressed an interest in working or starting a business in Nansha after graduation, considering that the Nansha District offers Macao young students many opportunities. Young people from Macao will have many more opportunities for development in the context of the rapid development of the Greater Bay Area.

The Student Affairs Office of MPI stated that the continuous conducting of study visits on innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area aims to enable students to get to know on the spot the environment and the potential of scientific innovation in different cities of the Greater Bay Area, as well as the vast space for development and employment prospects in the Greater Bay Area. The Institute has encouraged students to plan their future life and career at an early stage of their study, taking advantage of national development opportunities to dedicate themselves to the construction of the Greater Bay Area.